This Tuscan Retreat Combines Wine, Pasta... and Yoga?

Torn between a wellness escape and an indulgent foodie vacation? Not to worry: At Castello di Potentino, Tuscany’s brand new wine and yoga retreat, you can spend your days sipping reds, eating pasta, and working on your warrior pose (though not all at the same time, we'd suggest).

It’s not exactly a new concept—“wine and wellness” vacations have been around for a while and are particularly popular in Napa Valley, where every other resort seemingly hosts some variation of yoga-in-the-vineyards. But this retreat is, hands down, the coolest offering we’ve seen in a while.

For starters, it's held at a medieval castle in Tuscany's Conca D'oro (“Golden Basin,” named for the area’s former fields of wheat), flanked by lush vineyards and ancient olive groves. Location aside, it's the first wellness retreat in the world where you can actually walk away with something to show besides those *bakasana-*toned arms. Upon departure, you'll receive an official Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 1 wine certification—globally recognized proof of your entry-level wine expertise.

The five-day retreat is the brainchild of Emily O'Hare, the esteemed former head sommelier of London’s Michelin-starred River Café. O'Hare herself will lead the daily wine tastings and hour-long workshops, which are interspersed with yoga lessons taught by ashtanga vinyasa teacher Nadia Steward by the castle's freshwater outdoor pool.

Besides yoga, there are Tuscan cooking classes.

Courtesy Courtesy Castello di Potentino

And that's not all. In between all the stretching and swirling, you'll also partake in pasta-making classes with Michelin-starred Italian chef Roberto Rossi. Rossi, who owns the acclaimed Ristorante Il Silene in Seggiano, will personally teach you to make risotto and traditional Tuscan dishes from scratch using local vegetables, meat, and cheeses. It doesn't end there, either: You can also look forward to daily three-course lunches and four-course dinners prepared by London-based chef Avinash Kumar, also a River Café alum. All courses are—naturally—paired with local wines.

Sound indulgent? Well, that's the point: According to O’Hare, the retreat is the perfect opportunity for travelers to soak in the pleasures of Tuscan wine and gastronomy while actively "restoring balance." (Read: all that yoga cancels out the pasta and booze.)

Of course, it'll cost you: the retreat, which kicks off on June 30, will set you back $1,800-$2,800 depending on choice of accommodation. That includes all meals, wine workshops, and yoga classes, but you're responsible for your own airfare. Bookings can be made online here.